For multiple tooth-loss case, a denture is generally used instead of a tooth-attaching type prosthesis. The denture is a kind of detachable prosthesis, which substitutes multiple lost teeth with one body. When manufacturing the denture, it is important to design the denture in optimal shape for a patient by considering synthetically relationship of maxilla and mandible, distance between maxilla and mandible, and mandibular movements, etc.
Because the denture is supported by gingiva and covers jawbones structurally, when the patient moves for mastication, the denture applies pressure onto mucous membrane of oral cavity and causes pain on the mucous membrane. Therefore, many patients have been complaining their discomfort due to wearing the denture. Particularly, in case of the edentulous patient who has no tooth, the denture covers the larger area to increase the pain.
For preventing situation mentioned above, it is needed to know the painful area, where the patient would feel the pain from the denture, in advance in denture designing process, and to manufacture a tray or denture for the patient with the painful area.
As of now, doctors predict the painful area based on their experiences and applies the predicted results to the design of the denture. According to this method, the common painful area of lots of patients is easily predictable, but the individual painful area of each patient is not. In addition, there are wide variations according to doctors with their own experiences.
Furthermore, when manufacturing the dental prosthesis with the predicted results, an analog method that is accompanied by a physical impression taking has been being used. The analog method causes a lot of inconvenience to patients and delay of manufacturing process of denture.
Therefore, when predicting the painful area, if a method for designing dental prosthesis that is able to reduce dependence on doctor's experience and improve accuracy of prediction is provided, it could contribute to manufacture the dental prosthesis which provides high satisfaction to patients.